Last night a South San Francisco police officer shot and killed 15-year-old Derrick Gaines. South San Francisco Patch has a report on what police say happened:

An officer on duty initiated contact with two juveniles at the Arco gas station shortly before 9 p.m. on Tuesday night because they were acting “in a suspicious manner,” according Capt. Mike Brosnan. One complied with the officer and one, Gaines, ran away, Brosnan said. Gaines removed a handgun from his waistband, at which point the officer feared for his life and shot him, Brosnan said. Full story

[Police say] Gaines was walking with another teen…One teen complied with an order to stop, but Gaines took off running and pulled a pistol from his waistband… Then the officer, fearing for his safety, fired once.

Police said they recovered the pistol, but they did not disclose the make or model. The officer’s name has not been released.

The boy’s father, also named Derrick Gaines, questioned whether it was necessary for police to shoot his son.

“They are supposed to protect and serve,” the elder Gaines said. “Anybody can get spooked an run.

He said he would go to police to get the report in order to see the facts for himself. In the meantime the loss of his child is just beginning to hit him.